Work grip and mechanism for pressing machines



March 31, 1936. P, N BRAUN 2,035,787

WORK GRIP AND MECHANISM FOR PRESSING MACHINES Filed Aug. 9, 1929INVENTOR.

4 of any suitable construction.

Patented Mar. 31, 1936 UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE WORK GRIP ANDMECHANISM FOR PRESSING MACHINES Application August 9, 1929, Serial No.384,674

11 Claims.

This invention relates to garment and laundry pressing machines and hasfor its object a particularly simple, efficient and easily operable workgrip for gripping a portion of the work on one of said elements on whichthe work is placed, as the lower pressing element, so that the workbeing held at one point the operator can pull or stretch the portion ofthe work on the lower element.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations andconstructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention reference is had to the accompanyingdrawing in which like characters represent corresponding parts in allthe views.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a pressing machine embodying thisinvention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the work grip andcontiguous parts.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of parts seen in Fig. 2.

.Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the lower pressing element and thegrip member.

As here illustrated my invention is embodied in a conventional type ofgarment and laundry pressing machine in which the cooperating pressingelements are respectively, a stationary buck I and a head 2 movabletoward and from the buck, the buck I being mounted on a suitable bolster3 which in turn is mounted on a frame The head 2 is carried by the usualframe or yoke lever 5 pivoted between its ends at It to an upright Irising from the frame and usually forming an upward extension of therear leg of the frame. The buck I may be covered with the usual padding.The head 2 may be also padded but is usually unpadded.

The invention particularly has for its object a work grip movable intoand out of position to grip the work at one end of the buck I so thatthe operator can stretch the work by pulling toward the other end of thebuck and thus arrange the work on the buck without folds or wrinkles. 8designates the work grip which is here shown as a plate movable into andout of position over one margin of the buck and toward and from the buckto clamp and release the work, these movements being successive.Preferably, the carrier 9 of the work grip is movable in a verticalplane into and out of position to coact with the end margin of thepressing face of the buck. In the illustrated embodiment of my inventionthe grip 8 is supported by a carrier 9 having a successive pivotal orswinging and a rectilinear clamping movement into operative position togrip the work and successive rectilinear and swinging movements out ofoperative position. The carrier 9 is here shown as 5 a rod which isusually hollow, the carrier being slidably mounted in a block In whichblock has a horizontal pivot, the ends of which are received intrunnions II mounted in the bifurcated end I2 of a suitable support I3.The 10 carrier 9 is slidable in a direction at a right angle or radialto the axis of the block II). The rectilinear or clamping movement ofthe grip 8 is against the action of a spring I4 here shown as encirclingthe carrier 9 and interposed between the block I0 and a collar orshoulder I5 on the carrier 9. The swinging movement of the carrier 9 ina vertical plane to bring the work grip 8 into position over the marginof the buck I, is limited by a stop I 6, this being a roller arranged inthe path of an engaging surface or track I1 of the carrier 9. Thesupport I3 is a bracket depending from the buck I.

Preferably, both the head and the work grip head are power actuated, asthe buck I and the head 2 are comparatively large and are large enoughto press large or long articles, as sheets. They are large enough topress one half of a large sheet or the entire sheet if folded double.The power means for actuating the head is a fluid operated motor, as acylinder I8 having a piston I 9 movable therein, and the motiontransmitting means between the piston and the head 2 in addition to theyoke lever 5 comprise a link 2I pivoted at one end at 22 to the pistonrod 20 and at its other end at 23 to a link 24, this link 24 being alsopivoted at 25 to the base of the frame. Further, the motion transmittingmeans comprises a link 26 pivoted at 21 to the link 24 and at 28 to therear arm of the yoke lever 5, the links 24 and 26 forming a toggle. Thelink 2| is arranged at an angle to both the piston rod 20 and the toggleconsisting of the links 24 and 26, and is guided in its movement to havea pulling action on the toggle to straighten it, by an angular cam slot29 formed in a bracket 30 fixed to the frame, the link having a follower3| movable in the slot. The cylinder is pivoted at 32 to have anoscillating movement.

Obviously, when the piston is actuated, the follower 3| will move alongthe angular slot 29 and impart an endwise movement to the link 2| andthe toggle composed of links 24 and 25 will be straightened. The pistonis single acting and the press is opened, when the pressure in thecylinder is released, by counter-springs 33 and also to some extent by aspring 34 which acts on the link 2| to return it to the upper end of theslot 29. The specific construction of the actuating and motiontransmitting means forms no part of this invention.

The actuating means for the work grip 8 come prises a pressure operatedmotor and motion transmitting means between the motor and the carrier 9including a reciprocating part which moves in a direction at an inclinedangle to the sliding movement of the carrier 9, in order to effect,first, the swinging movement of the carrier 9 to carry the grip 8 overthe margin of the buck I and then, when the swinging movement is stoppedby the roller or stop I6, to slide the carrier 9 vertically against theaction of the spring I4, to clamp the grip 8 on the buck l or the workthereon. The motor for the grip 8 is here illustrated as a cylinder 35having a piston 36 therein, and a piston rod 31 connected to the lowerend of the carrier 9. A stop collar 38 is mounted on the rod 31 tolimitthe outward movement of the carrier by engaging the lower end of thecylinder 35. The cylinder 35 is pivoted or swiveled by a ball-and-socketjoint 39 to an arm 40 on the bracket l3 and the rod 3'! is pivoted orswiveled by a ball-and-socket joint at 4!! to an angle arm 42 to thelower end of the carrier 9. The piston 36 is single acting and isreturned to its starting position when the pressure in the cylinder 35is released by the action of the spring M on the carrier 9 and theweight of the carrier 9 above the trunnions II. The weight of the upperpart of the carrier 9 above the trunnion will cause the carrier 9 tofall into the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 at which timethe stop collar 38 will engage the end of the: cylinder 35 and preventfurther movement of the carrier 9.

The means for controlling the flow of motive fluid, as compressed air,to and from the cylinder 18 may be of any suitable form, size andconstruction.

In operation, the operator spreads the work, as for instance a sheet, onthe buck, then ope-rates the control means to operate the piston in thecylinder 35 to shift the carrier 9 and work grip 8 from its dotted lineposition to its full line position, Fig. 2. The operator then smoothsthe work on the buck l by pulling the work from the end thereof remotefrom the work grip. The operator then releases the work grip byoperating the control means and then closes the press.

What I claim is: I

1. A pressing machine including, in combination, cooperating pressingjaws adapted to open and close upon the work, a work grip cooperatingwith one of the pressing jaws, means below said pressing jaws forsupporting the work grip for movement in a vertical plane toward andaway from the cooperating pressing jaw in the direction of the length ofthe jaw and into and out of position over the margin of the pressingface of said jaw, and a power means for moving the work grip into suchposition and for moving said work grip rectilinearly toward said lowerpressing element and for moving the work grip in a reverse manner out ofoperative position.

2. A pressing machine including, in combination, cooperating pressingelements mounted to open and close upon the work, a work gripcooperating with one of the pressing elements, means movable in avertical plane and supporting the work grip for movement over the end ofthe pressing element into and out of position over the margin of thepressing face of said element and movable perpendicularly toward andfrom said element, and means for actuating the work grip to successivelymove the same over said margin of the pressing element and then move,the work grip rectilinearly toward the pressing element to grip the workand for moving the work grip out of operative position in reverse order.

3. In a pressing machine, in combination, cooperating pressing elementsmounted to open and close upon the work, a work grip movable into andout of position to coact with the margin of the pressing face of oneelement; a carrier for the grip, a horizontal pivot for the carrier toenable the carrier to move in a vertical plane and thereby move the gripin the direction of the length of the element toward one end of saidelement and over the margin thereof, means cooperating with the carrierto prevent further movement over said element and mounting the same forshifting the grip rectilinearly relatively to its pivotal axis therebyenabling the grip to movetoward the coacting element, and actuatingmeans for moving said carrier pivotally and rectilinearly successivelyto bring the grip into operative position and in reverse order to carrythe grip out of operative position.

4. A work holder for a pressing machine having cooperating pressing jawsadapted to open and close upon the work comprising, a work grip forcooperating with one of said jaws, a pivoted block, a carrier for thegrip mounted in the block to slide transversely of the pivotal axisthereof, and actuating means for successively moving the block on itspivot and sliding the carrier in the block to carry the grip intooperative position and to slide the carrier and move the block on itspivot to carry the grip out of operative position.

5. A work holder for a pressing machine having cooperating pressing jawsadapted to open and close upon the work comprising, a work grip forcooperating with one of the jaws, a pivoted block, a carrier for thegrip mounted in the block to slide transversely of the pivotal axisthereof, a returning spring acting on the carrier and normally resistingsliding movement thereof, and actuating means connected to the carrierand tending to slide the same against the action of said spring.

6. A work holder for a pressing machine having cooperating pressing jawsadapted to open and close on the work comprising, a work grip forcooperating with one of the jaws, a pivoted block,

a carrier for the grip mounted in the block tomally resisting slidingmovement thereof, andactuating means connected to the carrier andtending to slide the same against the action of said spring, saidactuating means acting on the carrier in a direction at an inclinedangle to the sliding movement.

'7. A work holder for a pressing machine having cooperating pressingjaws adapted to open and close on the work comprising, a work grip forcooperating with one of the jaws, a pivoted block, a carrier for thegrip mounted in the block to slide transversely of the pivotal axisthereof, the carrier having a shoulder spaced from the block, areturning spring between the shoulder and the block and normallyresisting sliding movement of the carrier, and actuating means connectedto the carrier and tending to slide the same. against the action of saidspring, said actuating means acting on the carrier in a direction at aninclined angle to the sliding movement.

8. A work holder for a pressing machine having cooperating pressing jawsadapted to open and close on the work comprising, a. work grip forcooperating with one of the jaws, a pivoted block, a carrier for thegrip mounted in the block to slide transversely of the pivotal axisthereof, a returning spring acting on the carrier and normally resistingsliding movement thereof, actuating means connected to the carrier andtending to slide the same against the action of said spring, saidactuating means acting on the carrier in a. direction at an inclinedangle to the sliding movement, and a stop for limiting the swingingmovement of the carrier into operative position.

9. A pressing machine comprising, a supporting frame, a buck mounted onthe frame, a head movable toward and from the buck, means for actuatingthe head, a work grip for coacting with the margin of the pressing faceat one end of the buck, a bracket positioned below the buck, a carriagefor the work grip pivotally and slidably mounted on the bracket, thepivotal mounting being upon a horizontal pivot so as to have a swingingmovement to carry the grip into and out of position over the margin ofthe buck and the slidable mounting permitting the grip to have aclamping movement toward and from the buck, and means for actuating thecarriage.

10. A pressing machine comprising, a supporting frame, a buck mounted onthe frame, a head movable toward and from the buck, means for actuatingthe head, a work grip for coacting with the margin of the pressing faceat one end of the buck, a bracket positioned below the buck, a carriagefor the work grip pivotally and slidably mounted in the bracket, thepivotal mounting being upon a horizontal pivot so as to have a swingingmovement to carry the grip into and out of position over the margin ofthe buck and the slidable mounting permitting the grip to have aclamping movement toward and from the buck, means for actuating thecarriage, and a stop for limiting the swinging movement of the carrierinto operative position.

11. A pressing machine including a supporting frame, a buck mounted onthe frame, a head movable toward and from the buck, means for actuatingthe head, a bracket below the buck, a work grip movable into and out ofposition over the margin of the pressing face of the buck and toward andfrom the said margin to clamp the work on the buck, a block, ahorizontal pivot swingably carrying the block on the bracket, a carrierfor the work grip slidably mounted in the block to move transversely ofthe pivotal axis of the block, a returning spring for resisting slidingmovement, a stop for limiting the swinging movementof the carrier intooperative position, actuating means carried by the bracket and includinga reciprocating part connected to the carrier and extending at aninclined angle to the direction of the clamping movement of the carrier.

PHILIP N. BRAUN.

